BRIDGEWATER – The transformational effect of cancer was at the center of the annual Cancer Survivors Celebration sponsored by Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Basking Ridge on June 5 at the Bridgewater Marriott, attended by close to 500 cancer survivors, as well as family, friends and hospital staff.

“Your normal life, the one you complained so much about before your diagnosis, is now a gift,” said Dr. Helen Sidebotham, a board-certified radiation oncologist.

Sidebotham kicked off the event with the theme that was embraced by keynote speakers Corinne Christensen, a mother of three who spoke about her four year journey with breast and brain cancer, and Mary Elizabeth Williams, a writer, consultant and commentator faced with melanoma.

Since her first diagnosis in 2010, Williams has been documenting her journey in a series of articles published in Salon.com.

A year after surgery, Williams faced stage four melanoma and was told it had spread to her lung, back and bloodstream.

She said she feels lucky to have been accepted into a Phase 1 immunotherapy trial at Memorial Sloan-Kettering, and is doing well.

Considering her experience with the disease as a “work in progress,” Williams credits her doctors at Memorial Sloan Kettering for her survival calling them “a bunch of geniuses.”

A profile in courage

Christensen, a Flemington resident, recounted the roller-coaster ride of emotions she experienced in 2010 when, along with the birth of her third child, she was handed a diagnosis of stage three breast cancer and later stage four brain cancer.

Sidebotham, one of Christensen’s physicians at Sloan, spoke of her “unwavering optimism and appreciation for life.”

“Behind those bright eyes and care-free smile is a truly courageous woman who has faced daunting challenges in her 40 young years and met those challenges with grace and determination,” Sidebotham said.

No stranger to the disease, Christensen recounted what she experienced at age 7 when her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer and succumbed to the disease at age 40 in 1985.

“While I didn’t have that much awareness of what was going on, I never remember her being down. I remember her laughing, watching television, telling jokes and bringing light and life to me and to our family and her friends,” Christensen said.

Christensen said that after her mother died, everyone around her recalled how much her mother fought the disease and how much she embraced life.

Taking a cue from her mother, Christensen has proceeded with unrelenting determination and spirit — even when she received the phone call from her doctor informing her that she had stage four brain cancer.

“When I got the call, my three young children were swirling around me and so I responded by saying, ‘Well, that kind of stinks,’ ” she said.

Christensen said her doctor was concerned that she did not understand the full impact of what she was saying, so she repeated the news.

“When you have cancer, and particularly when your cancer progresses, cancer keeps the kicks coming on — it’s hard to keep going. But I kept my eyes on the prize and remained confident,” Christensen said.

Initially, the plan was to treat the tumor on the brain with radiation only, but then she received a call from Sidebotham, who told her that she had been thinking about her situation and upon further reflection, wanted her to meet with a surgeon.

“I’ll never forget her words, she said, ‘I’ve been thinking about your case a lot, and I really think that surgery could be an option and I want to present it to a conference of physicians in the city. Is that OK with you?’ ” Christensen said.

Christensen told her she completely trusted her, and the chief of the neurosurgery department said he thought it would be successful.

“So I ended up having a little brain surgery,” Christensen said.

After radiation treatment, Christensen said happily that at this time she appears to be cancer-free.

“Cancer is life-changing,” she said. “A friend of mine with cancer recently wrote in her journal, ‘Cancer can either break you or inspire you.’ I know that despite the ongoing challenges, we all must take time to celebrate what we can.”

Staring down cancer

In addition to treating patients medically, Sidebotham said she makes patients aware of the emotional journey they face.

“Many times, I explain to patients that being diagnosed with cancer, regardless of what stage, will bring them through a grieving process similar to that felt with any great loss because they actually have lost something very valuable to them, their care-free life,” she said.

Sidebotham said she informs her patients that there are many stages in the grieving process and explains the stages of the process so they understand that their feelings are very normal.

“I also let them know that their grieving process will have an end and they will regain their strength and confidence again,” she said. “I reassure them that we will stand by them to help them through the process so they will not be alone.”

Sidebotham said she makes sure that they are aware of all the resources available at Memorial to both the patients and their families.

“It's important that patients feel they are surrounded by a ‘security blanket’ at a time when they are the most vulnerable,” she said.

Sidebotham said that what she values most about working at Memorial Sloan Kettering is knowing that behind each physician is an extraordinary team of devoted people who are committed to helping every patient.

Working with cancer patients has had an impact on Sidebotham’s perspective, as well.

“I don’t take my normal life for granted and feel extremely fortunate that my obstacles in life are small compared to those of my patients,” she said. “Life can be unpredictable, so I try to enjoy what I have at this moment rather than wishing for more in the future.”